n of a considerable number of new
ones.

Line of battle ships, as their name implies, were such as were capable
from their size, strength, and the number of their guns, of entering
into the line of battle and contending with the largest ships of the
enemy. We first hear of ships appearing in that character in 1691,
forming the British Channel Fleet under Admiral Russell. As far back,
however, as the year 1614, in a list of the ships of the navy, the line
of battle ships are separated from the others. They included all ships
from the first-rate to the fourth-rate. A fleet was now attended by
smaller, swift vessels, whose duty it was to look out for the enemy, and
to perform other detached services. These vessels were comprised in the
fifth and sixth-rates, and from an early period were denominated
frigates. In early days a large number of fast-sailing or fast-rowing
vessels, whether intended for war or for carrying merchandise, were
called frigates. The word friggot or frigat, as it was often written,
derives its origin from a class of long, sharp vessels used in the
Mediterranean, and impelled either by sails or oars, which had a deck,
the topside of which was higher than that of the galley. It in general
had openings like port-holes, through which the oars passed. An Italian
describes the fregata as a little vessel with oars, but whence that name
is derived is uncertain. A species of swift-flying sea-gull is called
by the French a fregate. We have also the frigate-bird; but the name is
generally supposed to be derived from the ship, which, however, may not
really be the case. It is very clear that its principal quality was the
power of moving rapidly either with sails or oars. The French
transferred the fregate of the Mediterranean to the northern shore of
their country, and constructed it with bluffer bows and of a large size,
to contend with the heavy seas of a northern region. English
merchant-ships of the early part of the sixteenth century are frequently
spoken of as frigates, and in the latter part of the century were often,
as we have seen, hired by the sovereign to serve as ships of war. As we
know from the accounts we have already given of the early voyages, some
of their ships were denominated frigates. Thus, one of the ships
serving with Sir Francis Drake is called the frigate _Elizabeth Fownes_,
of 80 guns and 50 men. The Duke of Northumberland, then Sir Robert
Dudley, towards the close of